Gender Differences in the Propensity to Start Gambling

Gambling opportunities have greatly expanded in recent years leading to an alternative form of leisure but also raising social concerns. Participation in such activities may be conditioned by individual characteristics affecting the willingness of individuals to gamble, including gender, but also by time effects linked to the availability and exposure of gambling. Using data from Spain, estimates from a time-varying split population duration model show significant gender differences in the propensity to start gambling (men's episodes as non-gamblers were observed to be shorter than women's). Additionally, expansion of gambling opportunities over time is found to be correlated with an increase in the propensity to start gambling. Both men and women are clearly more likely to start gambling at earlier ages than before. These results are expected to improve knowledge of gender differences in terms of consumer decision making about gambling and to be helpful in designing public policies for gambling.